Ingrown Fingernails

What are ingrown nails and how to prevent them

Ingrown fingernails are not only annoying they can be quite painful and can hurt when touched.

Ingrown finger nails are the edge of your nail growing into the skin and breaking the skin, this is what causes your pain.

Ingrown toenails are far more common than an ingrown fingernail.

Ingrown Nail Cuases

Nail biting, cutting your nails into a curved shape, or cutting the nail too short and straight across, leaving sharp edges.

An accident to the nail, and poor fingernail care.

When cutting the nail always make sure there is some length, and cut a clean line with no sharp edges. Cutting the nail very short will only make an ingrown nail problem worse.

Ingrown nails will become red and swollen around the fingernail and feel quite tender. If the nail becomes infected, you will experience discoloration and pus around the edges of your nail.

Ingrown nails Remedies

• Before you try and dig out the ingrown nail, soak your finger in warm water with salt and baking soda, or Epsom salts if you don't have baking soda.
  

• Soak your nail for about 20 minutes. You want to soften the skin enough so you can gently lift the fingernail away from the skin, and trim it with nail scissors or gently file with a nail file.

  This will help take away some of the pressure the nail is putting on the skin.
  

• Massage your fingernail with warm oil, olive oil is good for this or can use coconut oil. These oils will help provide relief from the pain and encourage the fingernail to grow out properly.
  

  Coconut oil contains anti fungal and antibacterial properties which can help sooth and protect ingrown finger nails.
  

• Prevent damaged cuticles by regularly giving them a massage, at least twice a day with warm oil,this will also help relieve any pain you are experiencing.
  

• Another option is to fill a bowl with about 1 cup warm water, put 8 oz of apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil or coconut oil into the water. Tea tree oil will help kill any bacteria.
  

  Soak your finger for about 30 minutes to help soften the nail enough for you to be able to gently lift the ingrown nail, so it is no longer sticking into your skin. Gently cut or file with a nail file.

• Apply tea tree oil or coconut oil to a cotton bud and stick this under your fingernail. Put bandage on to help keep in place but do not wrap finger too tightly. Do this a couple of times a day to help the nail grow outward.
  

• Cut a little v shape into the top of your nail and in this way you encourage the fingernail to grow together where the v shape is and not grow into the sides of your finger, this is a good one for ingrown toenails as well.
  

I have noticed on the market, many ingrown nail treatments which are supposed to help your nails grow straight, and not into the skin. I have never used any of these treatments, so I can't give you an account on whether they work or not.

Try and keep your nail out of water as much as you can, always wear rubber gloves when doing dishes, and avoid detergent and soap.

When you wash your hands, use a natural organic soap which contains no harmful chemicals. Otherwise, you take the risk of drying out the skin around your ingrown fingernail making it raw and encouraging the skin to break.

If your ingrown finger nail is very severe and you feel you may be suffering from an infection, you need to see a doctor.

Do the above remedies, and help yourself prevent any more from happening in the future.

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